Tunisian president declares his country’s 2014 constitution a “Zionist plot”

Tunisian President Kais Saied has controversially labeled the country's 2014 constitution a "Zionist plot," alleging that it was designed to destabilize Tunisia from within. This claim, reported by Middle East Monitor, was made during a meeting with the Tunisian Prime Minister.

Elected democratically in 2019, Saied later dissolved the parliament and began ruling by decree. He abolished the 2014 constitution, which had been widely supported following the Tunisian revolution that ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. In its place, Saied introduced a new constitution in 2022, which significantly expanded his powers.

Since assuming this increased authority, Saied has faced accusations of arbitrarily detaining journalists, lawyers, and other critics. He has often claimed that his opponents are influenced by foreign entities. During the meeting, Saied emphasized the need to address internal threats swiftly through legal action. A former minister suggested to Middle East Monitor that Saied's actions may be driven by a desire to maintain power ahead of the upcoming presidential elections in October.

Saied has a history of making contentious remarks about various ethnic groups, including Black Africans and Jews.